Improvement in shawl-strap handles



W. P. FERGUSON. Shawl-Strap Handle.

PatentedDec. 17, 188.

N4 PETERS. PHOTO-LITHDGRAPHaR, wASMmGYcN. D. C.

UNITED STATES PATENT @FFIGE WILLIAM I. FERGUSON, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN SHAWL-STRAP HANDLES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. QlLild, dated December 1T, 1878; application iiled April 27, 1878.

To all lwhom it may concern:

Be it known that I, "WiL l?. FERGUSON, of the city of Brooklyn, county of Kings, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Shawl-Straps, of which the following is a specification:

This invention relates to shawl-straps; and has for its object to make a light, strong, and elegant article of only three pieces of metal, and also to make perfectly secure retaining devices for the straps without piercing holes through them or otherwise injuring or defacing them.

It consists in so shaping and bending a strip y of sheet metal as to form the carrying-handle and the bodies of the two buckles or retaining devices. The two clamping-pieces oi' the buckles are so made as to work in ears bent up at right angles from the bodies of the buckles.

The parts oi' the retaining -clamps which gripe the straps are divided into two or more sections, the edges of which are smooth. Fach one of these sections presses the straps, which are prefcrabl y made of textile fabric, down into separa-te openings formed through the bodies of the buckles, thereby creasing the straps longitudinally over the bars which separate the openings in the bodies of the buckles, as well as creasing them transversely over the front edges of the openings, thus holding the straps perfectly secure without in any way injurin g them.

To describe my invention more particularly, I will refer to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this speciiication, in which- Figure l is a side elevation of my improved shawl-strap. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a. transverse sectional view of the buckle or retaining device. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal. sectional view of the same Figs. 5, 6, and 7 are transverse sectional views, show ing various ways of forming the carrying-handle.

The handle c and bodies al al of the buckles are cut from a piece of sheet metal and bent up into the form as shown at Fig. l.

The handle is bent into a circular form, as shown. at 6, or partly circular, as shown at Fig. 7 so as to enable it to be comfortably griped by the hand of the user; or it may bc bent as shown at Fig. 5, and apiece ol' wood, d, secured to the under side of it by means of rivets or screws.

The hinged clamps Z) are formed from a flat piece of metal, the front edges of which are made into sections b Il', and which are bent at right angles to the finger-pieces b.

A pin projecting from one side of the clamp I) works into a hole in the upright side portion of the handle a, and a pin projecting from the opposite side of the clamp works in a hole in the ear a4, which is a part of the body, and is bent up at right angles thereto.

The sections Z1' b oi' the hinged clamps b' pass down into the openings a3 a3, when the finger-piece b -is caused to lie flat on the strap c after the strap is passed between the hinged clamp and the body of the buckle, and thus press the strap into the openings, creasing it longitudinally over the bar ai, as shown at' Fig. 4i, and creasing it transversely over the front edges of the openings n.3 a3, and over the smooth edges of the sections b' b', as shown at Fig. 3.

The bodies of the buckles al are also provided with slots a2, through which one end of the straps c are passed to enabl'e the straps to be secured to the bodies of the buckles by sewing or other suitable means.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Let* ters Patent, is

1. A carrying device for shawl-straps, consisting oi' the handle 'a and bodies oi' the buckles al al, formed from a single piece of sheet metal and bent in the manner shown, in combination with the retaining-clamps b b, hinged to the bodies al al, and the straps c c, substantially as hereinbefore set forth.

2. In a shawl-strap, the hinged clamp b, provided with the sections b' b', and the body al, provided with the openings a3 a3, when constructed and combined so as to form a retaining device for straps, substantially in the 1n anner hereinbefore set forth.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 25th day of April, 1878.

. WM. l?. FERGUSON. lVitnesses EDWARD S. GooDwIN, JOHN CUNNINGHAM. 

